Dagger Drama (written around time of 4X06)
by nerdfishgirl
Summary: Pending the approach of the reveal of Rumple's duplicity with the dagger, I wrote this, which handles the inevitable angst less OOC than I think the show will be. Warning, lots of angst. Edit: Note that this was written early in Season 4A (around 4x06). And I was actually pretty happy with the way the writers did the reveal.


Gold looked at his wife with a mixture of fear and anger. Anger that she would try to use the dagger to pry information from him, even if it was necessary to save a life. Fear, because he knew that it wouldn't work. Not with that dagger anyway, not with the fake one that he had never switched back after he'd discovered the hat. Belle was holding it down to her side, but the look on her face told him all he needed to know. She repeated herself, "Dark One, I command you to lead me to the Snow Queen". Gold swallowed hard and made his decision.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that, dearie" he said, his anger at her betrayal showing through.

"No you won't, will you", said Belle, the expression on her face changing from one of anger to one of hurt, pity and sadness so quickly, that Rumplestiltskin was unprepared for her next words. "Even now, you still won't tell me. Do you really think that I'm that stupid Rumple?"

"You know?" said Gold in a broken whisper.

"I know you", said Belle, "And I know what you went through with Zelena. How could you let anyone have it after what she did?"

"When?" said Gold, looking as if he were about to collapse.

"The night after you proposed", replied Belle, as she brought her hand up from her side, and placed the chipped cup on the counter. "My emotions were so strong when you proposed that I didn't think, but later that night I realized that you could never part with your power. The dagger had to be a fake."

"Then why did you marry me?" said Gold, now completely mystified.

"Because I love you, and know that beneath it all, you love me too", said Belle emphatically, "And I was hoping that you would trust me. That you would tell me the truth. I gave you so many chances, offered you the dagger so many times. But you chose to pile lie upon lie. I've only guessed at what you've been up to since you killed Zelena, but I know that's why you wanted me to have the dagger, so that I wouldn't guess that you killed her. It would have been better if you had just told me", she finished her eyes full of sadness.

"Then you would have", Gold paused, the truth too painful for him to say aloud, "This would have happened anyway."

Belle looked at him with frustration, and said, "Rumple, I meant what I said when I told you that I loved all of you, even the parts that belong to the darkness. I know that magic has been your companion for much longer than I have, and I'm not expecting a miracle. Change takes time; no one becomes perfect in a month. Nine times out of ten you're going to make the wrong choice, but I would rather stand beside you as you choose evil, than only hear that chose the good from someone else. I don't want perfection Rumple, I want you to confide in me. I didn't want your power, I wanted your trust, and I never wanted your dagger, I only wanted your heart", she finished in one breath.

Gold stood there turmoil inside of him; "Could she really mean what she said?" he wondered. Perhaps he could trust her, he had to trust now it was his only hope of getting her to stay.

"I don't want you secrets now", said Belle, as Gold opened his mouth. "Wait until your self-protective shell reasserts itself, and decide to overcome it if you can. I need your trust for all times, not just when you're afraid of losing me", she finished quietly.

"Will I see you again?" said Gold, his voice barely audible.

"Yes", replied Belle, with a look so kind that Gold nearly melted into the floor, "I can't be your wife right now, Rumple, but I can and I will be your friend, so come to me, and confide in me, and when you know that you can trust me, and I know that you won't keep secrets from me, then I will be your wife again." For a moment they just looked at each other, Belle's eyes full of sympathy, and sorrow that he had not been able to trust her, Gold's eyes full of shame, and regret, and both pairs of eyes filled with longing for each other. She turned to go then, breaking the tie between them, and everything in Gold cried out to him to stop her, to somehow get her to stay, but he just remained staring at where Belle had been. "Goodbye, Rumplestiltskin", said Belle, as she opened the door. He looked up then, and saw her silhouetted in the light for one moment before the door closed and he was once again left in the darkness.


End file.
